


Learning Curve

by Haywarde



Category: Soul Eater
Genre: F/M, Family Fluff, Fluff, stein trying to be a dad, steinmarie baby
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-21
Updated: 2017-01-21
Packaged: 2018-09-18 21:35:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9403805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Haywarde/pseuds/Haywarde
Summary: Being a dad is hard. It comes with challenges that even Franken Stein, the greatest Meister to ever walk the halls of the DWMA isn't prepared for.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I don't fucking know but have fun

Oxytocin, dopamine and norepinephrine are highly critical for human bonding. Oxytocin is even known as the “cuddle hormone” and is vital for bonding with offspring, something Stein hopes to accomplish today. 

Marie insisted on Stein and Victor having some quality time together and left not ten minutes ago with Azuna to go shopping.

But everything can easily go to hell in ten minutes.

Victor’s been crying, no, wailing for his mother since she left the lab and Stein doesn’t know what to do. He’s a Meister, not a caregiver and his infant son can sense that. He squirms and flails in Stein’s arms until he puts him down in the bassinet. 

Victor’s inherited most of his traits from his mother - the golden eyes and hair - but he was big like his father with a birth weight of nine pounds and four ounces and length of twenty-three inches, (His size made Marie’s pregnancy absolutely miserable.) but that’s where the comparisons ended. DNA may link them together but that wasn’t enough to earn Victor’s trust.

Stein wonders if Victor can somehow sense the madness that dwelled dormant within him. Maybe that’s why he can’t stand the sight of him, because he knows what Stein really is--an unloving monster, not a father.

Even if Victor was capable of such thoughts, Stein wouldn't blame him. Without Marie’s influence he wouldn't be sane enough to tell the difference between his son and something new to cut up. And who's to say that some day he won't slip up?

Giving his screw a turn, Stein looks at Victor whose cries have died down to whimpers. “I know I’m not what you want,” he says. Victor stops his noises at the sound of Stein’s voice. His tiny eyes seem to flicker from his face to his screw. “But for some reason your mother thinks that I'm father material and she won't let that notion go so we’re stuck with each other.” 

Victor stares at him for a while then, very deliberately, raises a chunky fist in the direction of Stein’s screw. 

“Gwheeeh!”

Stein blinks. “You’re not chewing on my screw.”

“Ehahh!”

The wailing starts again and Stein is left to consider his options: swallow his pride or suffer through an hour of Victor’s tantrum.

The former wins.

He kneels down to Victor’s level and awkwardly sticks his head in his son’s face, silently thanking whatever deity that may have been listening that no one else is there to witness this humiliation. 

Victor coos and touches his screw. He’s too young to know how to resonate but Stein swears he can feel his soul burn a little brighter. Soft and soothing but electric.

“You really are Marie’s kid,” he says aloud as if Victor can understand him. It's surreal, looking at this little creature and knowing that he and Marie had made him--albeit by complete accident. Victor makes him feel content in the same way Marie does. It's not quite love but it's something.

He knows he won't be a good father but he wants to at least try and for now, that's enough.


End file.
